Legendary Chicago Japanese Restaurants Spawn New Omakase Spot

Sho, a modern omakase restaurant, is led by a Michelin-starred female chef with ties to two iconic Chicago eateries.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:07am

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Sho, a new omakase restaurant in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood, is the offspring of two legendary Japanese restaurants in the city - Yoshi's Cafe and Kamehachi. The restaurant is led by Mari Katsumura, the Michelin-starred daughter of Yoshi's Cafe founder Yoshi Katsumura, and Adam Sindler, a fourth-generation owner of Kamehachi. Sho offers a 10-plus course omakase experience that blends Japanese ingredients and techniques with a modern, global approach.

Why it matters

Sho represents the next generation of Japanese cuisine in Chicago, as a new wave of chefs reinterpret the food their parents made. It's also notable that the executive chef, Mari Katsumura, is one of the few female chefs serving Japanese omakase, a traditionally male-dominated culinary field.

The details

Located in Old Town, Sho offers a 10-plus course omakase experience for $155, with an optional $95 sake pairing. The menu features a blend of hot and cold dishes, sashimi, and hand rolls, all showcasing Japanese ingredients and techniques but with a modern, global influence. Katsumura, who previously earned a Michelin star as executive chef at the now-closed Yugen, works alongside her business partner Adam Sindler, a fourth-generation owner of the iconic Kamehachi restaurant.

  • Kamehachi first opened in 1967, when sushi was virtually unheard of in Chicago.
  • Yoshi's Cafe, the Japanese-French restaurant, opened in the early 2000s in Lakeview.
  • Sho, the new omakase restaurant, opened in 2026 in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.

The players

Mari Katsumura

The executive chef of Sho and daughter of the late Yoshi Katsumura, founder of the legendary Yoshi's Cafe. Katsumura is one of the few female chefs serving Japanese omakase, a traditionally male-dominated culinary field, and she previously earned a Michelin star as executive chef at the now-closed Yugen.

Adam Sindler

A business partner at Sho and a fourth-generation owner of the iconic Kamehachi restaurant in Chicago.

Yoshi Katsumura

The late founder of the legendary Yoshi's Cafe in Chicago, a Japanese-French restaurant that was one of the author's earliest dining experiences in the city.

Kamehachi

A legendary Japanese restaurant in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood that first opened in 1967, when sushi was virtually unheard of in the city.

Yoshi's Cafe

A legendary Japanese-French restaurant in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood that opened in the early 2000s and was known for dishes like its Wagyu beef burger with wasabi blue cheese.

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What they’re saying

“Funny that two of my earliest memories upon relocating to Chicago were at Japanese restaurants. And now, many years later, the families of those two legendary restaurants have sprouted an offspring, called Sho. And it's an example of how a new generation of chefs are reinterpreting the food their parents made.”

— Kevin Pang

The takeaway

Sho represents the evolution of Japanese cuisine in Chicago, as a new generation of chefs like Mari Katsumura reinterpret the iconic dishes and techniques of their parents' generation. The restaurant's modern omakase experience, led by a Michelin-starred female chef, showcases how the city's Japanese food scene continues to innovate and push boundaries.